[Lorianne]

I give up tons of freedom (as do you) by concession to live in a society of laws. I cannot do anything I please anywhere I please. If I want to do that, I should go live as a hermit in a deserted land. To live in society means giving up some of your freedoms. It is the social contract. I cannot do any damn thing I want, any time I want, anyplace I want.

For just one example (out of hundreds of thousands), I cannot walk around nude in public or even on my own property in my front yard. There are literally thousands of laws which restrict your freedom to do anything you choose. That is the "price" of living with other people. If you want to do anything you please any time, you have to live outside of communities of law.

[netmilsmom]

Yes you're right, however we do this for the common good.
When the preface of the common good is based on lies, then it really isn't the common good is it.
And remember, when we give this freedom to the government, it can take any shape or form.

[gtech]

We're not talking about anarchy, we're talking about the rights of people who own property (restaurants, etc) to make their own decisions. If it's legal to do something on your front porch, then the government has no business telling you that you can't allow it on your property. I am not a smoker, and I am enjoying the smoke-free environment, but I am strongly against the idea of a government taking away the property rights of individuals who, if they were really concerned about their health, would vote with their dollars and create a market for smoke-free establishments.

[laredo44]

To live in society means giving up some of your freedoms.

Living in society does not mean giving up freedoms at all. It means ceding the power to secure your rights, including freedom, to government. That which you cite as the yielding up of freedoms is actually you violating the rights of others in the first place.

[Tailgunner Joe]

The law does not allow you to restrict my NATURAL GOD-GIVEN RIGHTS. Our Constitution and civilization are not based on "social contract," which is a socialist invention.

[Orangedog]

What you are missing is creeping abuse of power the continued erosion of personal rights and freedoms. My rights stop where I infringe upon the rights of another. And smoking infringes on the rights of others in what way? The second-hand-smoke argument is a load of crap, as honest, non-political science has never been able to prove it harms anyone. What we have are a bunch of whiney soccer-moms who don't like the smell of cigarette smoke. None of their rights are being endangered by my smoking a cigarette at the local bar or bowling alley. These are just the usual,'for-the-children' useful idiots with too much time on their hands. I can't wait until it's their oxe that's being gored! I Hope the lawyers and polititians have as much fun with them as they are with the smokers. They're day is coming.

[MosesKnows]

I cannot do any damn thing I want, any time I want, anyplace I want.

Yes you can. The entire point of the nation's Constitution is that we each can do as we damn well please; as long as it harms neither the person nor property of another.

This presents the dilemma, what is harm? You may readily accept a local ordinance prohibiting public nudity but have great difficulty in accepting a prohibition against nude sunbathing in the privacy of your own back yard.

Harm no one; do as you will.

[texaslil]

Well, get ready to give up a lot more freedoms. When all of us smokers figure out who, or what, the ox is of the tobacco Nazis, we're going to gore it ourselves. Our own junk science/research is ongoing into SUVs, fat foods, etc. Better they hide their own crutch inasmuch as a case can be made for almost anything once people jump onto the CONTROL bandwagon. What goes around, comes around.

If anyone wants to discover the true agenda of these people, just go around brandishing an UNLIT cigarette all the time--checkout lines are nice. It's truly amazing how many people are prone to hyper-ventilating and profuse sweating. Their little beady eyes turn to little red, glowing coals as they desperately look about for some Wal-Mart brownshirt to slap you into irons. At least once or twice a week (if the hunting is good) one of these spawn from Hell will finally sucumb to hysterical foaming at the mouth by yelling, "You can't smoke that in here!!!" It's truly amazing how many stokes and heart attacks can occur in otherwise perfectly healthy people who don't have any bad habits.

[S.O.S121.500]

You're WRONG at every point....... Liar liar pants on fire nose as long as a telephone wireLiar liar pants on fire nose as long as a telephone wireLiar liar pants on fire nose as long as a telephone wireLiar liar pants on fire nose as long as a telephone wireLiar liar pants on fire nose as long as a telephone wire.

[SauronOfMordor]

For just one example (out of hundreds of thousands), I cannot walk around nude in public or even on my own property in my front yard. There are literally thousands of laws which restrict your freedom to do anything you choose. That is the "price" of living with other people. If you want to do anything you please any time, you have to live outside of communities of law.

There are hundreds of public establishments in my home state where you can walk around as nude as you want to. Of course, they upset some of the neighbors, but that's life. Just don't do it in very high heels, or you'll fall off the stage

You can also walk around as nude as you want in your own back yard PROVIDED you are not visible to the neighbors or the public street. Your right to do things on your private property tend to start getting curtailed when they affect people outside your boundary lines

Ideally, as long as your (legal) activities are on your own property, and do not emit effects past your property line, you should be free to do as you please on your own property, and this freedom should extend to those you invite into your property. Things like smoking, running around naked, screaming your opinions (but not so loudly that you disturb the neighbors), etc.

[Protagoras]

Ah the "nude in public/sex with dogs" argument. I wondered how long before a fascist pretending to be a conservative would show up on this thread claiming rights which do not exist.

[Roscoe]

Libertarians hate our society and deny that it has any rights.